The kitchen boy and the princess
by RedRose102
Summary: What if Anya and Dimitri met the night before Rasputin's curse took affect? A story about love and friendship. Anya/Dimitri


**I don't own Anastasia.**

Dimitri POV

"Dimitri!" Screamed the head cook. "Get your lazy carcass out of bed right now! We have a big feast to cook for tomorrow's ball and we need all the help we can get! Now get a move on it before I throw you out on the streets like I should have done two years ago!"

I grumbled. I swear if I didn't need this job I would have walked out on my own a long time ago. But I'm just a low kitchen boy and that's all I'll ever be until I reach the age that I can be out on my own making my own money.

"Dimitri!"

"Fine," I grumbled sleepily. I bet the royals are still asleep in their cozy warm beds. Or if they're not, then they are probably enjoying a big feast of a breakfast. My stomach growled as soon as I thought of food. I knew better than to ask for food, though. Cook will not allow me to have breakfast until all of my morning duties are done. Even when I get breakfast I get the scraps from the meal before. They treat me and the other kitchen boys like live stalk.

As I help prepare the food I can't help but let my mind wander to when I'll be able to set out on my own. I'll be rich. Richer than the royals even.

It's just a matter of time.

Anya POV

"Please Daddy," I begged my father. He sighed. "Anastasia, _why _would you want to go to the kitchens? We can have food brought up you know. It's not necessary."

"Because Daddy, I've seen everything in the palace twice, but I have yet to see the kitchens! Please, please, please, please, please, please???" I gave him my puppy dog eyes.

He sighed again. "All right. You may go, but I don't want you terrorizing cook again. You know how he gets." I nodded rapidly and jumped up to hug him.

"Thank you Daddy." He kissed the top of my head.

"Now be off with you," he said gently.

Needing no other dismissal, I ran out of daddy's bed chambers as fast as my tiny legs could carry me. I was so excited. I was finally getting to see the kitchens.

When I reached the front doors of the place I most desired to see I wasted no time in pulling them open. I was amazed by what I saw. There were a whole lot of people bustling about. Some screaming orders to kitchen boys and that hurt my eardrums.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I looked over at the boy who asked me a very rude question. He was my age, if not a little older. He had brownish hair and pretty eyes. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that he was covered head to toe in flour I would have mistaken him for a young prince.

"Hellooo," he said, waving his hands in front of my face. "Are you going to answer me or not?" I suddenly got angry. How dare he speak to a little girl like that? I can tell in the near future that he's probably going to have a lot of girls falling at his feet (not).

"Excuse me," I snapped. "It's not polite to do this." I waved my hand s in his face to prove my point. He slapped them away. I felt a spark go in my hand and my anger melted away. What was that? Obviously he felt it too because he looked at me with a confused expression on his face.

"What was that?" We both asked at the same time.

We laughed at how in sync we were.

"Dimitri! What the hell boy? Get your butt back to-"Cook stopped once he saw me and apparently Dimitri near the door.

"Princess Anastasia," Cook said with a bow. "I didn't mean for you to hear that. Please accept my apologies." Dimitri looked at me and then at Cook and then back at me. His mouth was gaping; he looked like a fish out of water. I would have laughed if I hadn't been so embarrassed.

"It's no problem at all," I responded easily as I could manage. Cook eyed Dimitri with disgust. It kinda made me mad.

"I hope this _urchin,"_ Cook sneered. "Has been somewhat pleasant company. Though I doubt it." Dimitri colored slightly and turned away from us. Before he could get away, though, I spoke.

"Actually he's a very sweet person. And I don't like the way that you're talking about him. He deserves more respect than he gets. You might want to follow in his example as a good person and learn how to hold your tongue about certain subjects."

Dimitri turned around and eyed me with disbelief. I looked back at him and smiled. In return the corners of his mouth lifted slightly and his eyes softened. Cook, however, looked like a tomato.

"Yes, your highness," he mumbled. "I suppose I'll leave you two alone."

"Oh, Cook," I said sweetly.

"Yes?"

"Can Dimitri have the rest of the day off? I'm sure he's tired and probably wants to get some rest." Dimitri looked even more shocked. Cook looked flustered. I smiled.

"Of course, your highness," Cook said.

"Thank you," I said. I quickly grabbed Dimitri's arm and flew out of there. When we turned a corner I stopped. Dimitri was eyeing me suspiciously.

"Why did you help me?" He asked lowly.

"Because you needed it." He smiled, but sadly that smile turned into a frown.

"I don't need anyone's help. Especially a _royals _help." He spat the word royal like it was a dirty word. "I can take care of myself."

I glared at him. I just helped him out of a sticky situation and this is how he repays me? I would have been fine with a simple thank you, but did I get that? No. I didn't. Talk about being grateful.

"Fine," I said coldly. "Next time I won't help you. Happy now? Good day." With that being said, I stomped off towards my own bed chambers. Before I could even make three steps I felt an arm go around me and pulling me along somewhere. I tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but he just tightened his grip around me.

Finally we reached a wall. What surprised me was that Dimitri stood calmly even though we just had a fight.

"I'm sorry," he said, sincerely. "I shouldn't have treated you like that. To make it up to you, I'm going to show you my favorite hiding spot. I've never showed this to anyone before, so I want you to keep this to yourself. Okay?" I nodded.

He smiled.

He pushed on the wall and it opened.

I gasped.

Dimitri POV

I don't have any idea why I'm showing her this. I guess I just want her to see that I'm not so cold and heartless as she may think. I was still surprised that she stood up for me. No one has ever done that before and the fact that it was the Princess Anastasia made it even more astounding.

We started climbing the stairs to get to the top of my hiding spot. I was nervous. I didn't know why, but I was. I wanted her to like this place for some reason. I wanted to see her smile.

That scared me. When we finally made it to the top and I opened the door that led out to the roof, I heard a gasp. I looked over to see the princess with a shocked look on her face. I grew even more wary as the time passed and she didn't say anything.

Finally, after what felt like years of waiting, a smile broke out across her face.

"I love it," she whispered as she looked out at the view.

I exhaled a breath that I wasn't even aware that I was holding and smiled. "I'm glad you do." She sat down on the cold stone floor.

"You can probably see all of Russia from right here," she exclaimed. "It's amazing. How did you find this?" Wonder was shining brightly in her eyes.

"I love to explore the castle. I found this the second day I came to the castle to work. I've been coming here ever since."

"What a coincidence," she said with a smile. "I love to explore the castle, too. That's why I came to the kitchens. I've never seen them before. You know, I wonder why we didn't run into each other before."

"Beats me," I said. "So what else do you like to do?"

We sat there talking for hours until we saw the sun setting.

I stood up. "We better get going. Your father's probably wondering where you're at." She nodded. I suddenly felt saddened. I didn't want our time to be up. I was actually enjoying myself. But, all good things must come to an end.

I saw my sadness reflected in Anastasia's eyes and I knew that she didn't want our time to be up either. It made me happy that she wanted to stay with me, a low kitchen boy.

As we walked down the halls we heard a sound. Heels clicking on the tile beneath us. One of Anastasia's sisters approached us with a relived look on her face.

"Anya, you are in so much trouble. Father was worried about you and mother's having a panic attack right now. Come we must be off."

Anastasia looked at me one last time and smiled.

"I'll see you again. Right Dimitri?"

I smiled at her. "Of course. Goodnight."

Seemingly satisfied with my answer, she followed her sister. But before she turned the corner she ran back to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"I really had a great time, Dimitri. See you at the ball tomorrow night!" And with that she was gone. I touched my cheek. I could still feel her warm and tiny lips and I wasn't even disgusted. In fact, I was happy that she did that.

Who knows?

Maybe I have another reason to stick around the castle for a while.

**Review Please!**


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